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Epiphone Viola Electric Bass Guitar, Vintage Sunburst | 
 enlarge | Brand: Epiphone
Category: Musical Instruments
List Price: $548.00
Buy New: $329.00
You Save: $219.00 (40%)
New (4) from $329.00
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 13965
Color: Vintage Sunburst
Media: Electronics
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: Yes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 12
Dimensions (in): 56 x 21 x 9
MPN: EBVIVSCH1
Model: EBVIVSCH1
UPC: 711106260075
EAN: 0711106260075
ASIN: B0002CZU9W
Release Date: August 1, 2009
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Laminate Maple body | | • | NYT Bass Mini-Humbucker pickups | | • | Rosewood fretboard | | • | 30.5 scale |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
This veteran from the British invasion is back without the vintage price tag! Mod looks and warm, bass tone come together as a result of its hollow laminated Maple body with a short-scale 30" maple neck, elegant flamed maple top and dual bass mini-humbucking pickups. Other feature include a floating rosewood bridge with trapeze tailpiece, 2 volumes, 1 tone, chrome hardware, and vintage sunburst finish.
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Husband's Bass: Can't put it down September 6, 2010
J. Kelly (VA, USA)
Her husband (me) bought the Viola about 2-1/2 years ago. I hadn't seriously played bass since the early '70's and was looking to take it up again. I had been playing mostly Piedmont Blues & some old time, and was looking for something that would go with that, but still let me wander into Rock.
I tried a bunch of solid bodies, and saw the Viola hanging in a corner. I was attracted by it's looks, but once I picked it up, I was blown away! It sounded crisp and clear, even with roundwounds, and was a lot lighter than it looked. The fit and finish was very impressive.
I don't jump into things, so I went over to another store that happened to have a Hofner, the first, and only Hofner I ever played. It might have been an Icon, but it was priced more than twice the Viola. It wasn't as punchy, I couldn't get much difference out of the two pups, and frankly, looked cheap (the controls cover plate was loose, and there was something else buzzing). I wouldn't have payed the Viola price, much less the Hofner price.
I went to the first store, got them to quote a package, and after setup, took it home. Other than a string change (to flats) and some tweaks, I haven't done a thing to it. It's the jewel of my collection. I play it nearly every day, sometimes for hours. Because of it, I've broadened my range from blues and country to include Jazz and Gypsy (I like making up bass lines to Django Reinhardt songs).
I wouldn't trade it for anything, and if anything happened to it, I'd definitely buy another.
 HOFNYET January 13, 2010
NOM DE PLUME (NOVATO, CA. United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Epiphone Viola Bass is a well made bass....finished nicely with decent action.....but while this instrument resembles the fabled 500/1 Hofner Beatle Bass in appearance, it does not remotely resemble the Hofner sonically.....the Epiphone generates a decent enough generic bass sound, but the Hofner posesses the punchiest and cleanest bass tone on the planet, with a very unique timbre.....in fact, the Hofners i have owned were buzz free in the studio, and their tone was like a punch in the gut....
however, all of that said, i would recommend this Epiphone over the new Hofner lower priced basses....and while many Epiphones these days are cheaply built and finished, this instrument is very servicable and a great value for the money.....but, if you ever muster up the dough to buy the real deal, do yourself a favor and get a new (don't buy a vintage one, the necks warp and they are not easily repaired) top of the line Hofner...there is nothing like it....
Best Of Both Worlds - A Beatle Bass That Plays & Sounds Great! December 6, 2008
Rob W. (Florida)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
For years, if you wanted to play the electric bass that Paul played in The Beatles, you had to fork over around $2,000.00 for a Hofner bass. Yes, they are made a lot better today than when Paul bought his first one for about $175.00 in 1961. But most folks can't afford that. A cost effective alternative in the same style has always been the Epiphone Viola bass.
For about a quarter of the cost of a new Hofner 500-1, you can have the look and sound close to that of the original, with some differences and caveats. The Hofner is a hollow body bass, which means that there is an open space inside the body of the guitar. This is one of the main contributors to it's original sound, which is more subdued, and mellow than more modern solid body basses, which have no chamber.
The Viola is also of the hollow body design. Though the electronics on the Viola are radically different from a Hofner, with the two humbucking pickups, a set of tape wrapped Hofner style strings, and amp modeling, you are right there back in Liverpool's Cavern Club.
I bought my Viola several years ago and am delighted with it's vintage styling and classic British Invasion sound. For those who are interested in it's stats:
* Top: Laminated flame maple
* Neck: Maple, set
* Chrome hardware
* 30.5" short scale
* 2 pickups: NYR & NYT mini humbuckers
* Nut width: 1.65"
* Fingerboard: Rosewood
* Inlay: Dots
* Finish: Vintage sunburst
My Viola bass was manufactured in Korea and is flawless in construction, fit and finish. In 2003, Epiphone, opened a factory in China to keep up with world demand.
Recently, Hofner has released two new lines of their Hofner Beatle bass. The Hofner Icon bass is a close approximation of the original, even though many have compared it more to the Viola bass. It sells for around $400.00.
The Hofner Contemporary bass is a close ( though not exact) replica of their main line of Beatle bass. It is a beautiful bass guitar and sells for around $800.00.
That still may be a little high for those who want the look and sound but can't afford a Hofner. I can highly recommend the Epiphone Viola Bass as a good sounding and easy playing alternative to the original!
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